Source: SKY_Sports
Given hits out at Barry boos
Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given has hit out at the reaction of Aston Villa fans towards Gareth Barry.
Barry returned to the Birmingham club on Monday for the first time since his £12million move to Eastlands during the summer, and received a hostile reception from his old supporters.
The England midfielder made 440 appearances for Villa in 11 years but was booed from the minute he stepped on the pitch on his return, with some supporters waving money in the air to give their opinion on his transfer.
"I was a little bit surprised by the reaction to Gareth," Given said. "He deserves a lot of credit for what he has done for Villa.
"It is a bit harsh on him getting booed and the reception he got. He was at Villa for so many years and did great service, got them £12 million after Villa hardly paid a penny for him as well, so I thought it was a bit unfair.
"It was a bit strange. I suppose some fans think one thing and others think something else.
"But Gareth has come to us and wants to further his career and hopefully win trophies and I think the fans should respect what he has done for the club and move on.
"I am sure there will be a majority of Villa fans who will be thankful as well for the service he gave to the club but the majority at the game were pretty much the opposite."
City continued their impressive start to the season with the 1-1 draw at Villa Park, after Craig Bellamy equalised a header from former Blues captain Richard Dunne.
And Given argued that some fans across the country are jealous of City's new-found success.
"Fans up and down the country are perhaps a bit jealous of Man City in the sense that they have new owners and what they can bring to the club," he added.
"But they should respect Gareth for what he did beforehand."
